Sprinkler



Oct. 15, 1963 E. J. HUNTER 3,107,056

SPRINKLER Filed Jan. 31 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet l ILZZZZ'IIIQLZ'IIII:I:I III: III: I I if I l l 35 f fliz fff F262 2 BY W ATTO/E/VEYS E. J. HUNTER Oct. 15, 1963 SPRINKLER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 31 1961 E w my M J V M 1 W 4 a E- J. HUNTER Oct. 15, 1963 SPRINKLER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 51, 1961 Q MW N my M W I/ W 3,107,056 SPER Edwin J. Hunter, Riverside, Califi, assignor to Moist Matic, Inc, Riverside, Calih, a corporation of California Filed Jan. 31, 1961, Ser. No. 86,039 8 Claims. (ill. 239-2tl6) This invention relates to sprinklers, more particularly to gear driven, oscillating sprinklers of the pop-up type, and included in the objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a sprinkler of this type which incorporates a novel turbine-actuated gear drive, which is uniquely housed so as to be substantially isolated from the water flowing through the sprinkler.

Second, to provide a sprinkler of this type which incorporates a novel reversing means and means for adjusting the arc of operation of the sprinkler, the adjusting means being accessible, during operation of the sprinkler or when the sprinkler is inoperative, without disassembling any part of the sprinkler.

Third, to provide a sprinkler so arranged that the major components may be formed of plastic and cemented together in assembly.

With the above and other objects in view, as may appear hereinafter, reference is directed to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal, sectional view of the sprinkler;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view taken within circle 2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse, sectional view taken through 33 of FIGURE -1;

FIGURE 4 is a transverse, sectional view taken through 4-4 of FIGURE 1, showing the reversing or oscillating mechanism in one of its driving positions;

FIGURE 5 is a transverse, sectional view similar to FIGURE 4, showing the reversing or oscillating mechanism in its other driving position;

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of the oscillating gear set and its frame;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary, sectional view taken through 77 of FIGURE 5, showing particularly one of the overcenter springs;

FIGURE 8 is a side view of the reversing or oscillating unit with a portion broken away and in section;

FIGURE 9 is a transverse, sectional view through 9-9 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 10 is a transverse, sectional view through 10-10 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 11 is a transverse, sectional view through 11-41 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary, sectional view through l-12, of FIGURE 10 showing the gear train.

The sprinkler is contained within a cylindrical housing 1, the lower or bottom end 2 of which is closed except for an inlet 3. Above the bottom end 2 the housing forms a motor compartment 4, and above the motor compartment the housing is radially enlarged to form a sprinkler compartment 5.

The motor compartment 4 receives a motor structure which is formed largely of plastic material. The motor structure includes a cylindrical shell 6, the lower and upper ends of which are covered by partition plates 7 and 8, respectively.

The cylindrical shell 6 is provided with a dividing wall 9 having a semicircular portion concentric with the shell 6 and radiating webs joined to the shell. The lower end of the dividing wall 9 has a complementary semicircular portion which embraces the center of the lower partition plate 3 to form therewith a gear chamber 10. The wall 2 9 divides the cylindrical shell 6 into a gear train chamber 11 communicating with the gear chamber 10 and a fiow chamber 12. The gear train chamber 11 is closed at its axial extremities by the partition plates 7 and 8.

Secured to the underside of the lower partition plate 7 is a turbine shell 13 having in its side walls a ring of tangentially disposed inlet ponts 14'. The bottom partition plate 7 is provided with semicircular apertures 15 which connect the interior of the turbine shell 13 with the flow chamber 12.

The lower partition plate 7 is provided with a central depending boss 16 which receives a shaft 17. The shaft extends downwardly into the turbine shell 13 and supports a turbine wheel 1-8. The turbine wheel 18 includes a shallow, conical disk 19 and a peripheral set of upstanding blades 20. A filter screen disk 21 is attached to the underside of the turbine shell '13 at its central portion and extends radially therefrom. The periphery of the filter screen disk 21 bears yieldably against the periphery of the bottom end 2 of the housing 1.

The upper end of the shaft 17 within the gear chamber 10 is provided with an initial drive gear 22. Radially outward from the shaft 17 the lower partition plate 7 is provided with a vertical stem 23 which journals an idler gear 24.

Within the projected area of the gear train chamber 11, the lower partition plate 7 is provided with two sockets which receive gear shafts 25 and 2.6. The gear shafts support a gear train comprising a plurality of gear units 27. Each gear unit consists of a pinion gear element 28 and a spur gear element 29. The initial spur gear element on the shaft 25 is engaged by the idler gear 24. The pinion gear element 28 of the initial gear unit 27 engages the spur gear element 29 of the succeeding gear unit 27 mounted on the gear shaft 26. This gear is supported in position by a spacer sleeve 30. i

The gear units 27 revolve on their respective shafts with the pinion gear elements 28 of preceding gear units engaging the spur gear elements 2.9 of succeeding gear units 27. The final pinion gear element engages a final spur gear 31 of the gear train. The final spur gear *31 is secured to the gear shaft 26 immediately below the upper partition plate 8. The upper partition plate 8 is provided with a socket for supporting the upper end of the gear shaft '25 and is provided with a bearing boss 32 through which extends the gear shaft 26.

Secured to the upper partition plate 8 is an oscillator housing 33 in the form of an inverted cup so as to form with the upper partition plate 8 a cylindrical lubricant chamber. The cylindrical shell 6, partition plates 7 and 8, turbine shell 13, and oscillator housing 33 are all formed of molded plastic material, and may be permanently joined to each other by an adhesive. However, the axial overlapping portions of these members may be provided with screw threads, if it is desired, to facilitate disassembly.

The oscillator housing 33 is preferably formed of a plastic which is slightly yieldable and has a low coefficient of friction. At the central portion of the closed upper end of the oscillator housing 33 there is formed a sealing sleeve 34 having yielda'ble lips 35 at its upper and lower ends, as shown best in FIGURES 1 and 2.

The oscillator housing 33 journals an internal gear 36 having a tubular hub 37 which extends upwardly through the sealing sleeve 34. The hub 37 also includes a downwardly extending portion which extends through a bearing opening provided in the center of the upper partition plate 8. The tubular interior of the hub 37 is isolated by its bearing contact with the sealing sleeve 34 and the upper partition plate 8 from the annular lubricant cham- 3 her formed between the hub and the periphery of the oscillator housing 33.

The hub 37 slidably receives a sprinkler tube 38, the lower end of which extends into the flow chamber 12, and is provided with a collar 39 to limit upward movement of the sprinkler tube 36; that is, the collar 39 is adapted to engage the upper partition plate 7.

The bore of the hub 37 is provided with a rib and the sprinkler tube 38 is provided with a groove to form a key connection 40 so that rotation of the hub 37 drives the sprinkler tube 38. The sprinkler tube 38 projects upwardly into the sprinkler compartment 5 and is connected to sprinkler nozzles, as will be described hereinafter.

In addition to the hub 37, the internal gear 36 includes a radiating disk and depending skirt having internal gear teeth 41. Mounted within the internal gear 36 is an oscillatory drive 42. Th oscillatory drive 42 includes an arcuate bottom plate 43 from which extends two spaced arms 44, which encircle the hub 37, and an arcuate top plate 45. Between the bottom and top plates 43 and 45 is a gear set which includes a drive gear 46 mounted on the gear shaft 26. A pair of idler gears 47 and 48 are mounted at one side of the drive gear 46.

The idler gear 48 drives a terminal gear 49 which is engageable with th teeth 41 of the internal gear 36 to drive the internal gear in one direction, for example, a clockwise direction. The other side of the drive gear 46 is engaged by an idler gear 50 which in turn drives a second terminal gear 51. The second terminal gear 51 is also engageable with the internal gear teeth 41 of the internal gear 36 to drive the internal gear in the opposite direction, for example, in a counterclockwise direction.

The oscillatory drive 42 is so mounted that when oscillated to one extreme position one terminal gear is in operation and when operated to the opposite extreme position the other terminal gear is in operation. Oscillatory movement of the drive 42 is accomplished by a trip member 52 which includes a collar 53 journaled on the hub 37 and a radial trip arm 54 extending under the internal gear 36.

The radial trip arm 54 is adapted to move arcuately between stops 55 extending upwardly from the upper partition plate 8. The spacing between the extremities of the spaced arms 44 is such'that the trip arm 54 engages one or the other of the arms 44 before engaging a corresponding stop 55, and oscillates the drive 42 to bring one or the other terminal gear 49- or 51 into operation, as shown best in FIGURES 4 and 5.

The trip member 52 is urged to one extreme position or the other by means of a pair of overcenter springs 56. Each overcenter spring is semicircular in form with radially outwardly extending serrated lips. One lip of each spring bears against the collar 53 between bosses 57, and the other lip of each spring engages lugs 58 extending upwardly, as shown best in FIGURES 4, 5, and 7.

Fitted over the internal gear 36 within the oscillator housing 33 is an are setting shell 59 having a skirt 60 which overlies the skirt of the internal gear 36. The skirt 60 and the internal gear 36 are provided with mating serrations 61 which tend to hold the shell 59 in a fixed position relative to the internal gear 36. However, the skirt 6% of the shell 59 is radially yieldable and the serrations are sufliciently fine that the shell 59 may be forced arcuately in either direction relative to the internal gear 36. Depending from the skirt of the internal gear 36 is a nonadjustable trip lug 62 and depending from the skirt 60 of the shell 59 is an adjustable trip lug 63. The trip lugs 62 and 63 are engageable with the extremity of the trip arm 54. The spacing between the trip lugs 62 and 63 determines the arc of movement of the internal gear 36.

The portion of the shell 59 overlying the internal gear 36 is provided near its periphery with a ring of perfora tions 64. The oscillator housing 33 is provided with a tubular boss 65 having a bore in alignment with the ring of perforations. Slidably mounted in the boss 65 is a plunger 66, the lower end of which is adapted to enter any of the perforations 64. The upper end of the plunger 66 protrudes above the boss 65 and is provided with a head 67. A spring 68 holds the plunger 66 in a normally retracted position, clearing the are setting shell 59. The plunger is utilized to permit relative shifting of the internal gear 36 and shell 59, as will be described hereinafter.

The motor structure is adapted to rest on supporting shoulders within the motor compartment 4, and is held within the motor compartment by means of a retainer plate 69 which in turn is located in place by a split retainer ring 70.

The upper end of the sprinkler tube 38 is attached to a nozzle block 71 from which extend nozzles 72, 73, and 74. The nozzles are directed upwardly, the central nozzle 73 extending radially and the flanking nozzles 72 and '74 extending parallel therewith. When the sprinkler tube 38 is in its lower position, the nozzles are within the sprinkler compartment 5. When the sprinkler tube is raised, as indicated by dotted lines in FIGURE 1, the sprinkler tube projects a suflicient distance above the housing 1 to clear the rim of the sprinkler compartment 5.

The nozzle block 71 supports a cover plate 75 which is mounted thereon by means of a central boss 76 and secured by a screw 77. In its lower position the cover plate 75 closes the sprinkler compartment 5. The nozzle block 71, nozzles 72, 73, and 74, and cover plate 75 are made relatively massive so as to urge the sprinkler tube to its lower position When water pressure is shut off.

Operation of the sprinkler is as follows:

Water enters upwardly through the inlet 3, then through the tangential inlet ports 14 of the turbine shell 13 to drive the turbine Wheel 18. The water discharges from the turbine shell 13, through the apertures 15, and the flow chamber 12, then flows upwardly through the sprinkler tube 38 and discharges from the nozzles 72, 73, and 74.

The force exerted by the water presure is suflicient to overcome the weight of the nozzle block 71, nozzles, and cover plate 75 so that the sprinkler tube 38 moves readily to its upper position indicated by dotted lines in FIGURE 1. Rotation of the turbine drives the shaft 26 through the gear train. The gear train is arranged to effect speed reduction so that the shaft 26 turns at a relatively low speed. By reason of the overcenter action of the springs 56, and the stops 55 either one or the other of the terminal gears 49 and 51 are in engagement with the teeth 41 of the internal gear 36 so as to drive the nozzles arcuately in one direction or the other until either the nonadjustable trip lug 62 or the adjustable trip lug 63 engages the trip arm 54 to force the springs 56 past center, so that the other terminal gear is brought into operation and reverses the direction of rotation of the internal gear 36, and consequently the direction of rotation of the nozzles.

The arcuate extent of oscillation is adjusted by pressing downwardly on the head 67 of the plunger 66, causing the plunger to engage one of the perforations 64 so as to restrain the shell 59, and then forcibly turning the nozzle block 71 or cover plate '75. This adjustment is most readily made with the cover plate removed. However, it is possible to insert a push rod or ones finger into the sprinkler compartment 5 to engage the head 67 of the plunger 66. I

It will be observed that the Water does not flow through the gear train chamber 11 or into the oscillator housing 33. Entrance of water into these spaces may be prevented by filling them with a water-repellent grease. it will be noted that the yieldable lips 35 are efiective to exclude backfiow of water from the sprinkler compartment 5 into the oscillator housing 33.

While a particular embodiment of this invention has been shown and described, it is not intended to limit the same to the exact details of the construction set forth, and it embraces such changes, modifications, and equivalents of the parts and their formation and arrangement as come Within the purview of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A sprinkler, comprising: a housing having a sprinkler compartment, a motor compartment and an inlet communicating with said motor compartment; a motor housing structure disposed Within said motor compartment, said housing structure defining a motor chamber adjacent said inlet, a final gear chamber adjacent said sprinkler compartment, a flow chamber between said motor chamber and final gear chamber, a primary gear chamber at one side of said flow chamber, and also between said motor chamber and said gear chambers; an internal gear member mounted in said final gear chamber and including a tubular hub extending axially through said final gear chamber from said flow chamber; a sprinkler head connected with said hub to rotate with said internal gear; a turbine element in said turbine chamber, there being turbine inlet ports in the Walls of said turbine chamber and passage means connecting said turbine chamber with said flow chamber for discharge of water through said sprinkler head; a gear train in said primary gear chamber operatively connected with said turbine element; shiftable drive means in said final gear chamber operatively connected with said gear train and having alternatively operable terminal gears engageable with said internal gear to turn said internal gear in opposite directions; and means for shifting said drive means to cause operative engagement of either terminal gear with said internal gear.

2. A sprinkler, comprising: a motor housing structure defining a turbine chamber having substantially tangentially directed inlet ports, a flow chamber communicating with said turbine chamber to receive Water discharging therefrom, a primary gear chamber at one side of said flow chamber, and an annular final gear chamber adjacent said fiow and primary gear chambers; a driven gear element in said final gear chamber including a tubular hub forming a flow passage from said flow chamber through but isolated from said final gear chamber; a sprinkler head connected With said driven gear to rotate therewith and communicating with said flow chamber through said tubular hub; a turbine element in said turbine chamber having blades positioned for impingement by Water entering said inlet ports; a gear train in said primary gear chamber operatively connected With said turbine element; a drive means in said final gear chamber connected with said gear train and having alternatively operable terminal gears engageable with said driven gear element to turn said driven gear element in opposite directions; and means for shifting said drive means to cause alternate operation of said terminal gears.

3. A sprinkler, comprising: a motor housing structure defining a motor chamber, a gear train chamber, a flow chamber isolated from said gear train chamber, and an oscillator chamber; a fluid motor in said motor chamber; a gear train in said gear train chamber connected With said fluid motor and having an output shaft extending into said oscillator chamber; an internal gear in said oscillator chamber incuding a tubular hub forming a bore communicating with said flow chamber and traversing said oscillator chamber to form a flow passage communicating with said flow chamber and isolated from said oscillator chamber; a sprinkler head rotatable With said internal gear communicating with said flow passage; a frame oscillatably mounted in said oscillator chamber for movement about said drive output; a gear set carried by said frame and including a driving gear connected With said output shaft and a pair of terminal gears at opposite sides of said driving gear and rotatable in opposite directions; means including overcenter springs for oscillating said frame to bring either of said terminal gears into engagement with said internal gear and a trigger arm; and spaced stop means depending from said internal gear for engagement with said trigger arm thereby to cause said internal gear and sprinkler head to turn in opposite directions.

4. A sprinkler, comprising: a motor housing structure defining a motor chamber, a gear train chamber, a flow chamber isolated from said gear train chamber, and an oscillator chamber; a fluid motor in said motor chamber; a gear train in said gear train chamber connected with said fluid motor and having an output shaft extending into said oscillator chamber; an internal gear in said oscillator chamber including a tubular hub forming a bore communicating with said flow chamber and traversing said oscillator chamber to form a flow passage communicating with said flow chamber and isolated from said oscillator chamber; a sprinkler head rotatable with said internal gear communicating with said flow passage; a frame oscillatably mounted in said oscillator chamber for movement about said drive output; a gear set carried by said frame and including a driving gear connected with said output shaft and a pair of terminal gears at opposite sides of said driving gear and rotatable in opposite directions; a nonadjustable stop fixed to said internal gear and positioned for engagement by said trigger arm; a shell fitting over said internal gear including an adjustable stop positioned for engagement by said trigger arm; interengaging means incorporating said internal gear and shell, tending to fix said shell and its stop relative to said internal gear; and manually operable means for restraining said shell, to permit relative rotation of said internal gear, thereby to shift the position of said adjustable stop relative to said nonadjustable stop.

5. A sprinkler, comprising: a sprinkler head; means for supplying Water thereto; a motor structure having an output shaft; an internal gear connected with said sprinkler head to effect turning movement thereof; a frame oscillatably mounted on said output shaft; a gear set carried by said frame and including a driving gear connected with said output shaft a pair of terminal gears at opposite sides of said driving gear and rotatable in opposite directions; means including overcenter springs for oscillating said frame to bring either of said terminal gears into engagement with said internal gear and a trigger arm; and spaced stop means depending from said internal gear for engagement with said trigger arm thereby to cause said internal gear and sprinkler head to turn in opposite directions.

6. A sprinkler, comprising: a sprinkler head; means for supplying Water thereto; a motor structure having an output shaft; an internal gear connected with said sprinkler head to effect turning movement thereof; a frame oscillatably mounted on said output shaft; a gear set carried by said frame and including a driving gear connected with said output shaft and a pair of terminal gears at opposite sides of said driving gear and rotatable in opposite directions; means including overcenter springs for oscillating said frame to bring either of said terminal gears into engagement with said internal gear and a trigger arm; a nonadjustable stop fixed to said internal gear and positioned for engagement by said trigger arm; a shell fitting over said internal gear including an adjustable stop positioned for engagement by said trigger arm; interengaging means incorporating said internal gear and shell, tending to fix said shell and its stop relative to said internal gear; and manually operable means for restraining said shell, to permit relative rotation of said internal gear, thereby to shift the position of said adjustable stop relative to said nonadjustable stop.

7. A sprinkler, comprising: a housing structure having an inlet at one end, a fluid motor chamber communicating with said inlet, a flow chamber communicating with said motor chamber to receive water discharging therefrom, a primary gear chamber at one side of said fioyr chamber, an annular final transmission chamber adjacent said flow and primary transmission chambers, and a tubular element extending from said flow chamber through said final transmission chamber; means sealing said tubular element from said finai transmission chamber; a fluid motor in said motor chamber responsive to Water flowing therethrough; a primary speed reducing transmission means in said primary transmission chamber and operati-vely connected with said fluid motor; an oscillating mechanism in said final transmission chamber for connecting said transmission means with said tubular element; a tubular sprinkler shaft rotatably driven by said tubular element and axially movable therein, the lower end of said sprinkler shaft extending into said flow chamber for axial movement therein at one side of said primary gear chamber; and a sprinkler head within said sprinkler chamber secured to the upper end of said tubular sprinkler shaft and adapted to be raised and lowered thereby.

8. A sprinkler, comprising: an outer housing having a motor compartment, and an inlet in the one end of said motor compartment; a motor casing structure adapted to be inserted axially into said motor compartment, said motor casing structure having a turbine chamber at its end adjacent said'inlet, a coaxial, sealed, final gear chamber at its opposite end a shell connecting said chambers, said shell being divided transversely into a fiow chamber having a portion coaxially disposed With respect to said final gear chamber, and a sealed primary gear chamber at one side of said flow chamber; a driven gear member mounted in said final gear chamber and including a tubular hub extending axially through said final gear chamber from said flow chamber; a sprinkler head connected with said hub to rotate with said driven gear member; a turbine el ment in said turbine chamber, there being turbine inlet ports in the Walls of said turbine chamber and passage means connecting said turbine chamber with said flow chamber for discharge of Water through said sprinkler head; and gear means in said gear chambers connected With said turbine element and said driven gear member for effecting rotation of said sprinkler head.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 6101926 Suetterle Sept. 20, 1898 1,862,576 Ludlam June 14, 1932 2,086,515 Evans July 6, 937 2,187,549 Thompson Jan. 16, 1940 2,253,979 Mulhall Aug. 26, 1941 2,706,134 Wilson et al Apr. 12, 1955 2,756,099 Reynolds July 24, 1956 2,780,488 Kennedy Feb. 5, 1957 2,954,171 Hruby Sept. 27, 1960 2,981,481 Hruby Apr. 26, 1961 2,999,643 Kennedy Sept. 12, 1961 

1. A SPRINKLER, COMPRISING: A HOUSING HAVING A SPRINKLER COMPARTMENT, A MOTOR COMPARTMENT AND AN INLET COMMUNICATING WITH SAID MOTOR COMPARTMENT; A MOTOR HOUSING STRUCTURE DISPOSED WITHIN SAID MOTOR COMPARTMENT, SAID HOUSING STRUCTURE DEFINING A MOTOR CHAMBER ADJACENT SAID INLET, A FINAL GEAR CHAMBER ADJACENT SAID SPINKLER COMPARTMENT, A FLOW CHAMBER BETWEEN SAID MOTOR CHAMBER AND FINAL GEAR CHAMBER, A PRIMARY GEAR CHAMBER AT ONE SIDE OF SAID FLOW CHAMBER, AND ALSO BETWEEN SAID MOTOR CHAMBER AND SAID GEAR CHAMBERS; AN INTERNAL GEAR MEMBER MOUNTED IN SAID FINAL GEAR CHAMBER AND INCLUDING A TUBULAR HUB EXTENDING AXIALLY THROUGH SAID FINAL GEAR CHAMBER FROM SAID FLOW CHAMBER; A SPRINKLER HEAD CONNECTED WITH SAID HUB TO ROTATE WITH SAID INTERNAL GEAR; A TURBINE ELEMENT IN SAID TURBINE CHAMBER, THERE BEING TURBINE INLET PORTS IN THE WALLS OF SAID TURBINE CHAMBER AND PASSAGE MEANS CONNECTING SAID TURBINE CHAMBER WITH SAID FLOW CHAMBER FOR DISCHARGE OF WATER THROUGH SAID SPRINKLER HEAD; A GEAR TRAIN IN SAID PRIMARY GEAR CHAMBER OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID TURBINE ELEMENT; SHIFTABLE DRIVE MEANS IN SAID FINAL GEAR CHAMBER OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID GEAR TRAIN AND HAVING ALTERNATIVELY OPERABLE TERMINAL GEARS ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID INTERNAL GEAR TO TURN SAID INTERNAL GEAR IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS; AND MEANS FOR SHIFTING SAID DRIVE MEANS TO CAUSE OPERATIVE ENGAGEMENT OF EITHER TERMINAL GEAR WITH SAID INTERNAL GEAR. 